•
Rating:
"What is this crap?", said "Rolling Stone" magazine when this album was released. There was some truth to that statement.
Dylan himself would admit that "Self Portrait" is an album made to confuse his fans who idolized him. "Nashville Skyline" wasn't enough. So why, then, is there something good in this so-so album, and why are there more sessions for this album than for any other of Dylan's?
"Self Portrait" is a mystery. Dylan uses both the nasal voice from "Highway 61" and the crooner voice from "Nashville Skyline"; on "The Boxer", by Paul Simon, he uses both.
An album made mostly of covers, lacking inspiration. The first official release of "The Mighty Quinn", in an unconvincing version, a couple more tracks aren't bad. The rest is barely noteworthy, except for the ghastly "In Search Of Little Sadie", the unbearable "Wigwam", and other truly unworthy tracks, it's not unlistenable but it's not a good album. It's funny, or ridiculous, take your pick. Just quote this post from rec.music.dylan, the newsgroup: "I picked up 'Self Portrait' this morning. 11.99 dollars and 74 minutes of my life that I'll never get back"
.
It's a difficult album to review: I'm awaiting comments, hoping that someone has some hypothesis regarding this mysterious LP. I don't completely trust the Dylan who said it was a big kick in the ass to all the fans (how can you trust Dylan? He also said that "Masters Of War" wasn't anti-war, tsk tsk).
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 All the Tired Horses (03:12)
All the tired horses in the sun
How'm I supposed to get any ridin' done? Hmm.
02 Alberta #1 (02:57)
Alberta let your hair hang low
Alberta let your hair hang low
I'll give you more gold
Than your apron can hold
If you'd only let your hair hang low
Alberta what's on your mind
Alberta what's on your mind
You keep me worried and bothered
All of the time
Alberta what's on your mind
Alberta don't you treat me unkind
Alberta don't you treat me unkind
Oh my heart is so sad
Cause I want you so bad
Alberta don't you treat me unkind
Alberta let your hair hang low
Alberta let your hair hang low
I'll give you more gold
Than your apron can hold
If you'll only let your hair hang low
10 Belle Isle (02:30)
One evening for pleasure I rambled to view
The fair fields all alone
Down by the banks of Loch Eiron
Where beauty and pleasure were known.
I spied a fair maid at her labour
Which caused me to stay for a while
And I thought of a goddess to beauty
Bloomin' bright star of Bright Isle.
I humbled myself to her beauty
"Fair maiden, where do you belong ?
Are you from heaven descended
Abiding in Cupid's fair throne ?".
"Young man, I will tell you a secret
It's true I'm a maid that is poor
And to part from my vows and my promise
Is more than my heart can endure.
Therefore I remain at my service
And go through all my hardship and toil
And wait for the lad that has left me
All alone on the banks of Belle Isle".
"Young maiden I wish not to banter
It's true I come here in disguise
I came here to fulfill our last promise
And hope to give you a surprise.
I've known you're a maid I love dearly
And you've been in my heart all the while
For me there is no other damsel
Than my bloomin' bright star of Belle Isle".
13 Copper Kettle (03:34)
Get you a copper kettle, get you a copper coil, Fill it with new-made corn mash and never more you'll toil. You'll just lay there by the juniper while the moon is bright, Watch them jugs a-filling In the pale moonlight. Build you a fire with hickory, hickory, ash and oak, Don't use no green or rotten wood; they'll get you by the smoke. We'll just lay there by the juniper... etc. My daddy, he made whiskey; my granddaddy, he did too. We ain't paid no whiskey tax since 1792. We just lay there by the juniper... etc. (LAST LINE REPEATED)
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By Almotasim
Instead of trying to pass, once more, through the narrow gate of artistic creation, he chooses another path: sarcasm and distraction.
A joke, a quarrel? Or an enigma? Not a poet, not a bard, not a prophet, not a revolutionary, not a utopian. What Dylan is this?
